AFTER THE FIRE

Hyacinth meets Prince Charming in college, and they marry shortly after graduation, despite her mother's feelings, portrayed in chilling tones. Only after her husband becomes a doctor and she, the dutiful wife and mother of two, does Hyacinth confirm her suspicions of his affairs. The story is portrayed with realism, and the listener is carried into the carnage of the doctor's clinic, where Hyacinth's rage isn't spent until fire erupts. Anne Twomey's soft, ethereal voice adds drama and tension as the costs of that night of confusion mount with a death that is ruled a homicide. Like a soap opera, the plot touches on many aspects of divorce and child custody battles but remains thin and often unbelievable. G.D.W. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 02]